“Complete degenerates”: Zelenskyy lashes out after massive Russian attack

Volodymyr Zelenskyy was visiting a rebuilt lyceum in the Kyiv region on September 1 when an air-raid alert sent everyone into a shelter. The disruption on the first day of the school year prompted an angry denunciation of Russia.

“Unfortunately, an alert has been declared. The Russians are just complete degenerates,” Zelenskyy told reporters. “September 1, children. You know, even enemies understand that children are children. And the Russians are making children participants in the war.”

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Unfortunately, an alert has been declared. The Russians are just complete degenerates. September 1, children. You know, even enemies understand that children are children. And the Russians are making children participants in the war.

The Ukrainian president said Russian forces wanted to disrupt education in Ukraine. He also linked the attacks of the previous two weeks to a period when many international partners were on holiday.

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I really wanted to share that feeling, you know, diplomacy according to plan: if it is a holiday, then it is a holiday. That is, we do not know that they are bombing, we are on holiday.

“I really wanted to share that feeling,” Zelenskyy said, referring to what he described as diplomacy operating according to holiday schedules. “If it is a holiday, then it is a holiday. That is, we do not know that they are bombing, we are on holiday.”

He said Russia feared little, apart from Ukraine’s armed forces and, to some extent, loud diplomatic pressure. Zelenskyy added that it was deeply unpleasant when some people were on holiday while others were fighting for their lives.

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The Russians fear nothing, but apart from our armed forces, they are somewhat afraid when diplomacy sounds loudly.